Diotimos Library · Journals, Notebooks & Fragments Collection · Bilingual Edition
The Notebooks of Joseph Joubert, Volume II
Complete Notebooks · French with an independent English translation.
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English Page · Branch 4289 of 4529
YEAR 1819 · Entry 8070
French
p. 857720 novembre.
Ce que Cervantès appelle les atomes d’un livre, les atomes d’une histoire. En effet il devroit y avoir dans tout ce qui compose un livre, une histoire, dans les faits, dans les mots et dans les phrases, quelque chose de net, d’absolu, d’insécable en quelque sorte, soit rond, soit carré, soit crochu, enfin ce qu’on dit des atomes, des monades.
The Notebooks of Joseph Joubert, Volume II: YEAR 1819
p. 8578November 20.
What Cervantes calls the atoms of a book, the atoms of a story. Indeed, in everything that makes up a book, a story, in the facts, in the words and in the sentences, there should be something clear-cut, absolute, indivisible in a way, whether round, square or hooked, finally what is said of atoms, of monads.
Socrates
Reading The Notebooks of Joseph Joubert, Volume II · YEAR 1819 · Entry 8070
Ask about a concept, passage, contradiction, or connection.
Socrates will begin with this book and its sources.About This Reading Edition
Joubert’s notebooks return to the work of thinking and writing, the demands of friendship, and questions of faith, beauty and conduct. This edition pairs the French with a new English translation, preserving the order of the chosen source and the unfinished character of its fragments. Dates and source references allow readers to follow a thought through time or return to its printed context.
Historical Text and Translation
The French text follows André Beaunier’s 1938 edition of Les Carnets de Joseph Joubert, published by Gallimard from Joubert’s autograph manuscripts. Volume II continues the notebooks and includes seventy undated pieces. French and English are aligned paragraph by paragraph, retaining the source order, printed dates and page references so readers can return to the facsimile.
About Diotimos Editions
Diotimos Editions prepared this new English translation directly from the French, preserving Joubert’s distinctions, recurring images, ambiguities and unfinished thoughts. Translator’s notes clarify wording, references and uncertain readings: Essential keeps notes that help explain a passage, while All includes technical detail. Annotations from the 1938 source edition remain distinct from the new translator’s notes.
Rights
The linked facsimile records identify the French source as public domain in the United States. The new English translation and editorial notes are © 2026 Diotimos, with source annotations and new editorial contributions credited separately. This edition pairs the complete French notebooks with an independent English translation, preserving the distinction between Joubert’s text and its accompanying notes.